The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-10-15
JANUS DAUGHTER RAISED.

While JESUS was justifying himself and his
disciples to the Pharisees and the disciples
of John, the Baptist, for not fasting as they
did, and for seating with publicans and sim
ners" at Matthews feast, one Jairus, ruler
or chief officer of the Synagogue came and
Frustrated himself before JESUS, after the
manner of the times to show great respect,
and said, "My daughter is now dead, but
come, lay your hand upon her, and she will
live." He had doubtless heard of the cure
of the centurion's servant (Lesson Oct. p,
if he had not himself witnessed it, or some
other of the marvellous cures wrought by JE-
sus in the city and neighborhocd of Caper-
naum. He may have been one of the mes
sengers from the centurion to JESUS. In
some way he had come to have faith in JE-
sUs' power to heal violent and dangerous dis
eases. From Mark and Luke we learn that
the girl was not dead but in dying condi-
ton when her father appealed to JESUS to
cure her, and that while JESUS was on the way
to the dying girl he met messengers coming
to tell the father that his child was dead, and
that he need not put the Teacher to the
trouble of going to heal her MARK v. 21-43;
Luke viii 1855. Matthew condenses his
account, and records merely that the child
was dead and that JESUS went and revived
her. When JESUS and those who accompa-
MED him arrived at Jairus' home the custom
airy funeral ceremonies had already begun.
1t was the custom in the East, and still is,
for the relations and special friends of the
dying person to gather round the couch, and
the moment the breath ceased, they would
break out into loud cries, with every exclam-
alton and sign of the most passionate grief;
and unable to continue this themselves, they
would hire professional mourners, especially
women, who would keep up the loud wailing
cry throughout the day and night. Comp.
Jer. TX. II; xvi. GO; Eek. xiv. II; Amos V.
l6: Chron. xxxv. 25) Persons of wealth
might afford to hire musicians also; and Jai-
rus being man of consideration, ruler of
the synagogue, we find thai the flute players
have arrived, and although but a few min
utes after the child's decease, already there
is crowd present, making a tumultuous
noise of lamentation. ALI these things are
witnessed by travellers in Egypt or Palestine
at the present day.-John A. Broddns, DID,
LID, Commentary on Matthew"
JEsUs said to the mourners, "The girl is
not dead, but asleep" They ridiculed,
either the statement that she was not dead,
or any apparent purpose of his to cure one
who was already dead. 1t was probably not
strange to Jews to hear death spoken of as
sleep. But to them it was profound sleep
''that knows no waking" They might ridicule
the idea OF an awakening from the sleep of
death. They may have heard of JESUS power
to cure the worst diseases, but not that he had
restored the dead to life. JESUS spoke in view
of his intended purpose. The child was not
permanently dead, mot to remain dead but was
to revive from death as one awakes from sleep.
He afterward said the same thing of Lazarus
whom he restored to life, having been four
days in the tomb: sour friend Lazarus is
fallen asleep; but go that 1 may wake him
out of his sleep" John xi. ~. The child did
not die; there was no occasion for funeral
ceremonies. The intended miracle of JESUS
"took the death out of her death. The mourn
ers were sent away, and JESUS, in the pres
ence of the parents and his three favorite dis
ciples, Peter, James and John, is said to have
taken the girl by the hand, who at his touch
and call revived, and Immediately arose and